Reunion Island

Reunion Island is 110 miles South West of Mauritius and 586 miles east of Madagascar. The islands of Mauritius, Rodrigues, and Réunion form part of the Mascarene Islands. Reunion is a French island, it is 39 miles long and 28 miles wide. The Piton des Neiges volcano, is the highest point on the island at 10,070 feet above sea level. The island has been designated by UNESCO as a protected natural site. Much of the West coast is ringed by coral reef which harbours, among other animals, sea urchins, conger eels and parrot fish. Sea turtles and dolphins also inhabit the coastal waters of Reunion Island. Humpback whales also migrate north to the island from the Antarctic waters annually during the Southern Hemisphere winter (June–Sept) to breed and feed, and can be routinely observed from the shores of Reunion Island during this season.

St-Denis is the capital of Reunion Island, with a flurry of trendy shops, brassieres, bistros and bakeries. Scratch beneath the French polish and you’ll soon realise that the city also boasts an undeniably Creole soul, with a portfolio of delightful colonial and religious buildings and a casual multi-ethnic atmosphere. Take time to sip a coffee at a chic pavement café or indulge in fine dining at a gourmet restaurant.

Piton de la Fournaise is the island’s most famous natural attraction. Simply dubbed The Volcano. It is is not dormant, but an active geological wonder that erupts with great regularity, the last one in 2010. It is one of the world’s most accessible active volcanoes, and it’s possible to hike up to the crater rim. You can also fly over the volcano, approach on horseback or simply enjoy the scenery from a viewpoint at the ‘entrance’ to the volcanic area, right on the crater’s outer rim, where the road ends.

Reunion Island has 3 cirques (an amphitheatre-like valley head, formed at the head of a valley glacier by erosion) making Reunion Island a great place if you like trekking. The Mafate cirque can only be reached by walking or with an helicopter. The peaks that surround this cirque are, le Piton des Neiges (the highest point of La Réunion at 3069 m), le Gros Morne, le Grand Bénare and la Roche Ecrite. All of them reach the height of 3000m. The river “Rivière des Galets” passes across the cirque and connects it to the sea thanks to a marvellous valley. It is also where the “forest of coloured wood” is located. It is called this way becauseit contains many different species, all of which has its own specific colours. Ther are more than 200km of marked out paths that lead through the Mafate mountain cirque. Salazie cirque,can be reached by car although there is nothing better than a little of trekking to discover it. One could enter Salazie coming from “la rivière du Mât”. This rivers is bordered with huge cliffs and many waterfalls, among them the one called ” Bras-de-Caverne” and the very famous ” Voile-de-la-Mariée” (the wedding veil). Salazie cirque is full of picturesque little places such as “l’îlet-Bananiers”, that you reach by walking on a very old footbridge that is built over the gorges of “la Rivière du Mât”. Cilaos cirque is surrounded by “le rempart du Grand Bénare” (2896m), “les Trois Dents des Salazes” (2121m), “le Piton des neiges” (3069m), “le Dimitile” and “le Bonnet-de-Prêtre”. As with the 2 other cirques, Cilaos should be visited by trekking, that is the best way to see all the outstanding landscapes of La Réunion. It is also in Cilaos that you may enjoy canyoning or roping down in the waterfalls.

Reunion Island has many towns worth visiting, to soak up the authentic creole atmosphere. From Hell-Bourg with its rugged terrain, St-Leu for the outdoor and sports enthusiasts, St-Pierre is where to go for a lively stay, compact and colourful, it has a vibrant energy. Visit the large resort complexes of St-Gilles-les-Bains and l’Hermitage-les-Bains, with white sands, restaurants, nightclubs and a boisterous atmosphere on weekends. During the week, however, the atmosphere here is much more relaxed and you shouldn’t have to fight for a space to lay your towel. There are numerous water activities on offer, from diving to deep-sea fishing.

The Sucrerie de Bois-Rouge is on the coast 3km north of St-André. During the cane harvest (July to December) visitors are shown around the huge, high tech plant, following the process from the delivery of the cut cane to the final glittering crystals. The 2 hour tour includes the neighbouring distillery, where the by products (cane juice and molasses) are made into rum. From January to June, you can only visit the distillery. Children under seven years aren’t allowed into the refinery.

The climate on Reunion Island is tropical, but temperature drops with elevation. The weather is cool and dry from May to November, and hot and rainy from November to April. Rain levels vary greatly within the island, with the east being much wetter than the west.

All of the ethnic groups comprising the island are immigrant populations that have come to Reunion Island from Europe, Asia and Africa over the centuries. There is no indigenous people on the island as it was originally deserted. French is the only official language, English is a compulsory second language as part of the French school curriculum, but as in mainland France, English fluency is rare, although most staff in hotels do speak English.